What your costume could say about you

Alisha: There are tons of challenges to finding costumes for children, but what about those pesky problems when searching for a costume at age 32? You have to take into account size (not many shops carry Troy plates for a 52-inch chest) and quick escapability (hey, if you find a cute security guard at the party, you don't want to spend 20 minutes peeling off your Wonder Woman outfit).

But most importantly, what costume you choose says a lot about you as a potential mate. Let's examine some costumes men and women might select this Halloween. Men first.

SUPERHEROES

Deirdre: The crux of this is how good the costume is. If it's detailed and fits well, the guy not only wants to be a hero, but he might be straying into comic book convention territory (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). If the costume is cheap, he's probably going for Jack Black-type humor, but he'll come off as a loser.
Alisha: If a guy wants to be Superman or Captain America, then I'm betting he's a good kisser and is quite passionate -- they always want to savior the moment.

GHOSTS AND ZOMBIES

Deirdre: Ghost costumes tend to involve full-body covers, which screams SHY to me. Zombies would imply someone creative (because of the makeup and "acting" abilities necessary), but also someone who gets their jollies off scaring people.
Alisha: If it's just a guy in a white sheet, I'm not impressed. But a white sheet with black holes in it, Charlie Brown style, shows a desire to be different - which is a good quality when picking out a mate.

MILITARY OR LAW ENFORCEMENT

Deirdre: A man who likes to be in charge! And what woman can resist a uniform? Not original, but still a smart move.
Alisha: Screams authority issues. But maybe that's a good thing if you're wanting a man who takes control in the bedroom.

Now for the women.

DRUNKEN, DRUGGED CELEBRITANTES

Alisha: Can you really take home a girl who wants to be Firecrotch for Halloween? Come on now.
Deirdre: HA! Or the chick who wants to flash everyone getting out of the car? Classy. It's also a cop-out, because it's a great cover for when they start drinking.

FAIRYTALE COSTUMES

Deirdre: Name one fairytale where the chick doesn't need to be saved. It might be a turnoff for dudes who like strong, independent women, and depending on the amount of body glitter used, it might make for a messy make-out session.
Alisha: Fellas, if you see a woman dressed up as Cinderella or Snow White, I sure hope you have a large savings account. That wedding is going to rival Princess Diana's, I guarantee you.

CUDDLY OR CUTE ANIMALS

Alisha: I picture the librarian types choosing cuddly animals as their Halloween costume, and of course, I immediately think those are the quiet, demure types out in public and the spontaneous, wild types at home.
Deirdre: Why do so many women go hoochie with it, though? "Sexy" kittens and Playboy bunnies. How obvious is the "touch me" message? And guys, how many men besides you have taken them up on it?

Readers, what are your ideas for costumes and their hidden meanings?